Left to Right: Dr Declan Voigt, CSIR CMI; Dr Molefi Motuku, CSIR Executive
Late last month, a high-level delegation from the Mine, Health and Safety Council (MHSC) visited the CSIR in Pretoria to discuss the possibility of the CSIR hosting a national mining Centre of Excellence (CoE).
The MHSC is a national public entity comprising a tripartite board, which has representatives from: the state; employer and labour members. It is under chairmanship of the Chief Inspector of Mines. Its main task is to advise the Minister of Mineral Resources on occupational health and safety legislation focused on improving and promoting occupational health and safety in South African mines.
Left to Right: Dr Declan Voigt;, CSIR CMI; Dr Jeannette McGill CSIR CMI; Dr Molefi Motuku, CSIR Executive; Thabo Dube, Chairman of SIMRAC; Berenice Lue Marais CSIR Strategic Alliances
Establishing a mining Centre of Excellence
As part of the fulfilment of its strategic objectives, the MHSC is in the process of establishing a CoE to conduct research, training and facilitate implementation of research outcomes for the mining sector, focusing specifically on health and safety of mineworkers. In establishing the CoE, the MHSC is looking for an organisation to support this initiative by housing the CoE; the CSIR is one of a few facilities being considered.
Leveraging the CSIR’s multidisciplinary approach
The visit forms part of a series of visits to ascertain whether the CSIR has the requisite capability and capacity to host the centre. Presiding over the meeting was Dr Molefi Motuku, who is the CSIR’s new R&D Executive, and Berenice Lue Marais, from CSIR Strategic Alliances. The meeting was attended by CSIR collaborators in the mining research impact area (RIA) consisting of unit and centre senior management from Centre for Mining Innovation; Mobile Intelligent Autonomous Systems emerging research area; Material Sciences and Manufacturing; Built Environment and Biosciences.
Following an in-depth question and answer session, the MHSC delegation was given a guided tour of the CSIR’s various research units, where Navin Singh, the head of the delegation, commented that research undertaken by the CSIR was both ‘amazing’ and relevant.
 Harry Rex, MHSC with Berenice Lue Marais and Dr Declan Voigt |
“CSIR technologies are not only implementable, but we are confident that the multidisciplinary research taking place here is improving the lives of our people,” he stated.
“Our aim was to show the MHSC delegation that not only does the CSIR have experience in housing strategic national projects, but it also has world class researchers, as well as advanced and well equipped facilities,” Motuku said.
“In addition, the CSIR’s multidisciplinary research base, extensive mining industry knowledge and experience, coupled with the organisation’s systems approach can also be leveraged to contribute to solving challenges in the mining sector as a whole,” he added.
Lue Marais indicated that the CSIR was successful in communicating its value proposition, “We are pleased that the CSIR was able to effectively articulate its multidisciplinary approach and capabilities that could be at the MHSC’s disposal through a CSIR hosted national mining CoE.”
Another in-depth meeting is envisaged for later in the year at the Centre of Mining Innovation in Johannesburg following the MHSC delegation’s visits to other potential locations.
 Jonathan Claasens from MIAS gives demonstration to MHSC delegation |
 Lerato Nyathi, Chamber of Mines South Africa |
